Methods and apparatus for storing items in selectively shaped bags

ABSTRACT

Portable bags for holding items, the bags having at least one dart that permits a person to selectively alternate the dart between a collapsed state and an expanded state. Some bags include a slit compartment that can be selectively opened and closed by means of a dart, a zipper assembly that permits the bags to be completely separated into at least two pieces, and a contoured side that is designed to contour against the body of the person carrying the bag. Some darts allow the bags to completely collapse into a concave shape wherein the bag has minimal interior volume and is thereby easily stacked, stored, and transported. The bags of the present invention include purses and backpacks of varying triangular and square shapes.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Serial No. 60/365,579, filed Mar. 19, 2002, and titledPROVIDING SELECTIVE STORAGE OF ITEMS.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to methods and devicesfor storing items in bags that can be selectively transformed intoalternative configurations. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to bags having darts incorporated therein to allow the bags toflex between collapsed and expanded configurations.

[0004] 2. Background

[0005] People use a wide variety of bags to store or carry items withthem. Purses, handbags, backpacks, and luggage are some well-known andcommonly used types of bags. Among these bags, some are designed to becarried at a person's side, some in a person's hand, some on a person'sback, and some by rolling the bag alongside the person. The fabric, cut,and design of these bags differ widely, depending on whether the bag isintended to cater to form or to function. A substantial internationalcommercial industry has been built up around the production and sale ofbags. Bags that cater to both form and function and that are also simpleto manufacture are particularly valuable in the industry and soughtafter as desirable merchandise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention can generally be characterized as a bag forholding items, the bag having at least one dart that permits a person toselectively alternate the dart between a collapsed state and an expandedstate. In the preferred embodiments, the bag includes a slit compartmentthat can be selectively opened and closed by means of a dart, a zipperassembly that permits the bag to be completely separated into at leasttwo pieces, and a contoured side that is designed to contour against thebody of the person carrying the bag. Preferably, the darts in the bagallow the bag to completely collapse into a concave shape in which thebag has minimal interior volume and is thereby easily stacked, stored,and transported. As such, the present invention—which may be embodied inpurses and backpacks of varying triangular and parallelogram shapesdesigned in a signature, simplistic style—is versatile, cost-efficient,and convenient to use and transport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Various objects and features of the present invention will becomemore fully apparent from the accompanying drawings when considered inconjunction with the following description and appended claims. Althoughthe drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and arethus not to be deemed as limiting the scope of the invention, theaccompanying drawings help explain the invention in added detail.

[0008]FIGS. 1A through 1C show one embodiment of the present inventionin various views. FIG. 1A shows a pattern that may be used to cut thefabric of one side of the embodiment of FIGS. 1B and 1C. FIG. 1B is afront plan view of the embodiment, and FIG. 1C is a side view of theembodiment.

[0009]FIGS. 2A through 2C show how a dart in one embodiment of thepresent invention can be manipulated to move a slitted compartmentbetween a closed state (FIG. 2A) and an open state (FIG. 2B). FIG. 2Cshows items placed in the compartment that is shown as being open inFIG. 2B.

[0010]FIGS. 3A through 3C show another embodiment of the presentinvention in various views. FIG. 3A shows a pattern that may be used tocut the fabric of one side of the embodiment of FIGS. 3B and 3C. FIG. 3Bis a front plan view of the embodiment, and FIG. 3C is a side view ofthe embodiment.

[0011]FIGS. 4A through 4C show another embodiment of the presentinvention in various views. FIG. 4A shows a pattern that may be used tocut the fabric of one side of the embodiment of FIGS. 4B and 4C. FIG. 4Bis a front plan view of the embodiment, and FIG. 4C is a side view ofthe embodiment.

[0012]FIGS. 5A through 5C show another embodiment of the presentinvention in various views. FIG. 5A shows a pattern that may be used tocut the fabric of one side of the embodiment of FIGS. 5B and 5C. FIG. 5Bis a front plan view of the embodiment, and FIG. 5C is a side view ofthe embodiment.

[0013]FIGS. 6A through 6C show another embodiment of the presentinvention in various views. FIG. 6A shows a pattern that may be used tocut the fabric of one side of the embodiment of FIGS. 6B and 6C. FIG. 6Bis a front plan view of the embodiment, and FIG. 6C is a side view ofthe embodiment.

[0014]FIG. 7 shows one embodiment of the present invention wherein thetwo sides of the bag are completely separated from each other.

[0015]FIG. 8 shows multiple embodiments of the present invention, eachin a completely collapsed state and stacked on top of one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The following detailed description, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings (hereby expressly incorporated as part of thisdetailed description), sets forth specific numbers, materials, andconfigurations in order to provide a thorough understanding of thepresent invention. The following detailed description, in conjunctionwith the drawings, will enable one skilled in the relevant art to makeand use the present invention.

[0017] A purpose of this detailed description being to describe theinvention so as to enable one skilled in the art to make and use thepresent invention, the following description sets forth various specificexamples, also referred to as “embodiments,” of the present invention.While the invention is described in conjunction with specificembodiments, it will be understood, because the embodiments are setforth for explanatory purposes only, that this description is notintended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments. Indeed,it is emphasized that the present invention can be embodied or performedin a variety of ways. The drawings and detailed description are merelyrepresentative of particular embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments ofthe invention. The various embodiments will be described in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein like elements are designated bylike numeric or alphanumeric characters throughout.

[0019] The present invention can generally be characterized as a bag 10,an example of which is shown in various views in FIGS. 1A through 1C.The bag 10 may comprise any sort of container, holder, or receptaclethat may be used to contain, hold, envelope, and/or encase items.Exemplary bags include purses, handbags, backpacks, and luggage.

[0020] The bag 10 is preferably die cut with a laser from a simplepattern 12, the edges being left raw—a design that provides forefficient manufacture. The bag 10 comprises one or more darts or means14 to selectively alternate the darts 14 between a collapsed state andan expanded state (see, respectively, FIGS. 2A and 2B). Preferably, thedarts 14 are peaked areas on the bag 10 that may be selectivelyalternated between the collapsed and expanded states by flexing orsnapping the darts 14 by manually pressing against the darts 14, asshown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. It should be noted that “collapsed state”refers to a state that decreases the interior volume of the bag 10;“expanded state” refers to a state that increases the interior volume ofthe bag 10. Note that the darts 14 can give shape to the bag 10 and thatsome darts 14 in the bag 10 may be in a collapsed state, while otherdarts 14 in the bag 10 may be in an expanded state. All the darts 14 inthe bag 10 shown in FIG. 1C are in their expanded state, maximizing theinterior volume of the bag 10.

[0021] Referring back to FIGS. 1A through 1C, the darts 14 may be heldin shape by means of various fasteners 16, including staples, grommets,rivets, or stitching. Preferably, the bag 10 is made of a semi-rigidmaterial that is flexible enough to allow the darts 14 to alternatebetween the collapsed and expanded states, but strong enough to hold thebag 10 in either of the latter states once it has been placed in one ofthe latter states. Examples of such semi-rigid material include thickmaterial such as leather, recycled leather, felt, flat stock material,or synthetics. Semi-rigid material can also include any sort of materialstrengthened with a liner (for example, fabric backed with a PU film) togive it the form and rigidity necessary to provide the bag 10 with thecollapsing and expanding properties described herein.

[0022] In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the bag 10also includes a slit compartment 18 that can be selectively opened andclosed by means of a nearby dart 14, a zipper assembly 20 that permitsthe bag 10 to be completely separated into at least two pieces or sides10 a and 10 b (shown, with respect to another embodiment of the bag 10,in FIG. 7), and a contoured side 22 that is designed to help contouragainst the body of the person carrying the bag 10. It will be notedthat the zipper assembly 20 may be comprised of any material, includingplastic or metal, and allows two halves or sides 10 a and 10 b of thebag 10 to be shipped separately and unassembled so that the bag 10 canbe assembled at the store or show room. Once assembled, the two sides 10a and 10 b can be zipped or unzipped to allow a person to place items inthe interior of the bag 10. The zipper assembly 20 may be made ofmaterial and/or shaped so as to help maintain the shape of the bag 10.

[0023]FIGS. 2A and 2B show how a dart 14 in the bag 10 can bemanipulated to move a slitted compartment or pocket 18 between a closedstate (FIG. 2A) and an open state (FIG. 2B). FIG. 2C shows items placedin the compartment that is shown as being open in FIG. 2B. Note that, inthis embodiment, the bottom half of the bag 10 remains rigid when thedart 14 is snapped to alternate the slitted compartment 18 between itsopen and closed state. When the dart 14 is in the state shown in FIG.2A, the opening of the slitted compartment 18 is closed off. When thedart 14 is in the state shown in FIG. 2B, the opening of the slittedcompartment 18 is open so that items can be inserted into its interior.

[0024]FIGS. 3 through 6 show various embodiments of the bag 10 of thepresent invention. The bag 10 in FIG. 3 is made from a pattern 12 thatis square-shaped and has four darts 14 on one side of the bag 10—one oneach corner—and two darts 14 on the bottom corners of the other side ofthe bag 10. The bag in FIG. 4 is a backpack and is made from a pattern12 that is triangular and has three darts 14 on one side of the bag10—one on each corner—and two darts 14 on the base corners of the otherside of the bag 10. The bag in FIG. 5 is made from a pattern 12 that issquare-shaped and has two darts 14 on each side of the bag 10—one oneach of the bottom corners of each side of the bag 10. Lastly, the bagin FIG. 6 is made from a pattern 12 that is rectangular-shaped and hastwo darts 14 on each side of the bag 10—one on each of the bottomcorners of each side of the bag 10. Holes 24 in the bag 10 of FIG. 6 areoptional and are designed to be grasped by the fingers of a person'shand to aid the person in carrying the bag 10.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 8, preferably, the darts 14 in the bag 10 allowthe bag 10 to completely collapse into a concave shape wherein the bag10 has minimal interior volume and is thereby easily stacked, stored,and transported.

[0026] Thus, as can be determined from the above description anddrawings, the present invention is versatile, cost-efficient, andconvenient to assemble, use, and transport. Moreover, the simplistic,eye-catching designs provide the present invention with greater appealto a wide variety of markets.

[0027] It is underscored that the present invention may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from its spirit or essentialcharacteristics. The described embodiments herein should be deemed onlyas illustrative. Indeed, the appended claims indicate the scope of theinvention; the description, being used for illustrative purposes, doesnot limit the scope of the invention. All variations that come withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embracedwithin their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a bag for holding items,said bag having a first side; and a dart on said first side that allowsfor selectively alternating said dart between a collapsed state and anexpanded state.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a slitcompartment on said bag, said slit compartment being selectively movablebetween a collapsed, closed state and an expanded, open state by meansof said dart.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a secondside on said bag, said second side being shaped to contour against thebody of a person carrying said bag.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid dart can completely collapse the bag into a concave shape whereinthe bag has minimal interior volume.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid first side comprises at least three darts.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said first side comprises at least four darts.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said first side comprises at least twodarts.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second side anda zipper assembly for coupling said first side to said second side. 9.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second side that istriangular in shape and comprises two darts at the base corners of thetriangular shape of the second side, and wherein said first side istriangular in shape and comprises three darts on the corners of thetriangular shape of the first side.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising a second side that is a parallelogram in lo shape andcomprises two darts at the base corners of the parallelogram, andwherein said first side is a parallelogram in shape and comprises fourdarts on the corners of the parallelogram of the first side.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second side that is aparallelogram in shape and comprises two darts at the corners of theparallelogram, and wherein said first side is a parallelogram in shapeand comprises two darts on the corresponding corners of theparallelogram of the first side.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid bag is a backpack further comprising a second side that istriangular in shape and comprises two darts at the base corners of thetriangular shape of the second side, and wherein said first side istriangular in shape and comprises three darts on the corners of thetriangular shape of the first side.
 13. An apparatus comprising: a bagfor holding items, said bag having a first side; a dart on said firstside that allows for selectively alternating said dart between acollapsed state and an expanded state; and a slit compartment on saidbag, said slit compartment being selectively movable between acollapsed, closed state and an expanded, open state by means of saiddart.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a second side onsaid bag, said second side being shaped to contour against the body of aperson carrying said bag.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein saiddart can completely collapse the bag into a concave shape wherein thebag has minimal interior volume.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13 whereinsaid first side comprises three corners and has one of said dart of eachof the three corners.
 17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said firstside comprises four corners and has one of said dart on each of the fourcorners.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first side comprisestwo corners and has one of said dart on each of the two corners.
 19. Theapparatus of claim 13 further comprising a second side and a zipperassembly for coupling said first side to said second side, said zipperassembly permitting said second and first sides to completely detachfrom each other.
 20. An apparatus comprising: a bag for holding items,said bag comprising semi-stiff material; means on said bag forselectively flexing said bag between a collapsed state and an expandedstate; a pocket compartment on said bag; and means on said bag forselectively moving said pocket between a collapsed, closed state and anexpanded, open state.
 21. A method comprising: cutting a plurality ofdarts into a piece of semi-stiff material; and assembling saidsemi-stiff material into a portable bag that can selectively alternatebetween a collapsed state and an expanded state when a person pushesagainst said plurality of darts.
 22. The method of claim 21 furthercomprising providing a slitted compartment on said bag wherein saidslitted compartment can selectively move between a collapsed, closedstate and an expanded, open state by means of at least one of saidplurality of darts.
 23. The method of claim 21 further comprisingproviding a zipper assembly on said bag, said zipper assembly permittingsaid bag to completely split into at least two separate pieces.
 24. Themethod of claim 21 further comprising shaping said bag so that itcontours against the body of a person who might carry said bag.
 25. Themethod of claim 21 further comprising assembling said darts so that saiddarts can completely collapse the bag into a concave shape wherein thebag has minimal interior volume.